Thursday, February 13, 2014

HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER

It’s The Anointing  

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know- Acts 2:22

"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  "And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Acts 10:38-39

Everything which Jesus did during His short three year ministry here on earth He did it by being dependent on the Holy Spirit. He did nothing in His own power. For God’s word is true:

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,  Because He has anointed Me  To preach the gospel to the poor;  He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,  To proclaim liberty to the captives  And recovery of sight to the blind,  To set at liberty those who are oppressed;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."  Luke 4:18-19

Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.  "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. John 5:19-20

Now if Jesus was dependent on the Holy Spirit to cast out devils, heal the sick, raise the dead, and preach the gospel to the poor why should any of God’s children be exempt? For Jesus did say:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14

Greater works than Jesus did are not done by the arm nor the wisdom of flesh but by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Just like Apostles Paul did and said:

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. Acts 15:12

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

The speech and preaching with persuasive words of human wisdom, in the wisdom of men but not in the power of God will not result in demonstration of the Spirit and power and miracles and signs and wonders.  As a matter of fact it usually produces converts of men who are followers of men and not of God.

But Apostle Paul stated something which many have chosen to ignore:

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.  And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6

The gospel which Paul preached to the Thessalonians did not come to them in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit.  As a result they received the word in much affliction with  joy of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit and the Word were manifested together to produce converts of the Lord who followed the Lord.

The fact of the matter is that men can not reveal truth nor the word of God properly but it takes the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth to reveal it. That is why Jesus said:

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-  "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 15:26

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

It is the responsibility of the Spirit of truth to guide God’s children into all truth and not just some of it. He will speak what He hears from the Father and will even tell them of things to come. For God’s word is true:

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 1 John 2:20

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27

The anointing which all of God true ones have received from God abides in them. Hence they do not need anyone to teach them. As the same anointing teaches them concerning all thins as they abide in the Holy One.

So if men are not being taught by the anointing but by other men they have no one to blame but themselves. For they are not benefiting and using what has already been given to them.  For God’s word is true:

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Acts 1:4-5

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. Mark 16:15-20

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Those who do not have the anointing are to seek it. For with out the anointing all their works especially in the ministry are wood stubble, and hay. As God’s word is true:

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples  he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."  And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."

Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.  Now the men were about twelve in all. Acts 19:1-7

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.  For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.  But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:10

The work of the Lord must be done by the Spirit of the Lord through the anointing and not by the flesh of man which steals God’s glory.

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